HB 13: state pay plan

Members of Montana’s three state employee unions voted in November to ratify a new pay plan agreement with the State of Montana.

Voting by mail-in ballot, members of MEA-MFT, AFSCME of Montana, and the Montana Public Employees Association from all across the state ratified the agreement by majority vote.

The agreement -- now House Bill 13 -- now must be approved by the 2011 Montana Legislature, now in session. The three unions and Governor Schweitzer’s administration have taken the agreement jointly to the legislature.

“I am pleased that our members have ratified this agreement,” said MEA-MFT President Eric Feaver. “This was the best deal we could make, and we will do everything we can to guide it through the 2011 Legislature. We are grateful to Governor Schweitzer for working with us and for continuing good faith pre-budget negotiations.”

The pay plan agreement was negotiated between the three unions’ combined bargaining team and the Schweitzer administration earlier this November.

What the pay plan providesThe agreement provides base pay raises of 1 percent effective the first full pay period in January 2012, and 3 percent effective the first full pay period in January 2013. That's 4% that would NOT be in the pay plan without MEA-MFT and its bargaining team members.

“We realize this agreement does not address both pay and health insurance, it does provide a pay increase to all state employees,” said Quint Nyman, executive director of the Montana Public Employees Association. “Now the bigger challenge is pushing this through the 2011 Legislature.”

Timm Twardoski, executive director of AFSCME, said, “Our members are working harder for less, and I can only hope the legislators coming to town in January recognize the efforts and sacrifices of state employees. All in all, I see this as a win and a move in the right direction.”

All hands on deck!Getting the pay plan through the legislature won't be a cakewalk. MEA-MFT governance and staff will be working full-time to get it passed. But we can't do it alone. We'll need all state employee members to help. Please be ready to contact legislators when asked! THANK YOU!